Sunday, March 6, 2016

Exodus Chapter 4



ex41

1 Then Moses answered, “But behold, they will not believe me or listen to my voice, for they will say, ‘The LORD did not appear to you.’”
1. Isn’t this a good point? Why should they listen to an 80 year old goat herder?  How would the people believe that you have sent me?
 Moses had left Egypt and the Israelites with a clouded reputation under the sentence of death, and he had been away for a long time. He needed to prove to his brethren that they could trust and believe him. CN
 Moses voiced complaints about his assignment because of his sense of personal inadequacy. The detailed instructions in 3:16-22 may have heightened Moses’ anxieties about his new role, so he posed objections: his fear that his compatriots would repudiate his authority and that the Pharaoh would reject him. Fear that the Israelites might not believe God had appeared to him is reasonable because God had apparently not appeared to the Israelites for 430 years, the length of the sojourn in Egypt. BKC
The fear and anxiety of Moses here discovered another objection,  that based upon the fact that the people were no longer accustomed to prophetic voices and would therefore not acknowledge his call. PCB

2 The LORD said to him, “What is that in your hand?” He said, “A staff.” 
3 And he said, “Throw it on the ground.” So he threw it on the ground, and it became a serpent, and Moses ran from it. 4 But the LORD said to Moses, “Put out your hand and catch it by the tail”—so he put out his hand and caught it, and it became a staff in his hand— 5 “that they may believe that the LORD, the God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has appeared to you.”

2. Why would God use a snake demonstration to convince Moses?
ex42 God probably intended the first miracle, of the staff and serpent, to assure Moses and the Israelites that He was placing the satanic power of Egypt under his authoritative control. This was the power before which Moses had previously fled. Moses’ shepherd staff became a symbol of authority in his hand, a virtual scepter. The serpent represented the deadly power of Egypt that sought to kill the Israelites, and Moses in particular. The Pharaohs wore a metal cobra around their heads. It was a common symbol of the nation of Egypt. However the serpent also stood for the great enemy of man behind that power, Satan, who had been the foe of the seed of the woman since the Fall (Gen. 3:15). Moses’ ability to turn the serpent into his rod by seizing its tail would have encouraged the Israelites. They should have believed that God had enabled him to overcome the cunning and might of Egypt and to exercise authority over its fearful power. This was a sign that God would bless Moses’ leadership. CN

6 Again, the LORD said to him, “Put your hand inside your cloak.” And he put his hand inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous like snow.  7 Then God said, “Put your hand back inside your cloak.” So he put his hand back inside his cloak, and when he took it out, behold, it was restored like the rest of his flesh.
3. What did the leprous hand trick prove?
Moses put his hand in his bosom and it came out leprous. He put his hand into his bosom again and it came out clean. Out of your heart will ultimately come what you are. God wanted ex43that rod in the hand of a man yielded to Him. He wanted that man’s hand to move in the same direction as his yielded heart. This is the great lesson God had for Moses, and the children of Israel. JVM
 The sign of leprosy. The heart ("bosom") stands for what we are, the hand for what we do. What we are, that ultimately we do. The two signs, rod and hand, speak of preparation for service:
(1) consecration--our capacity taken up for God; (2) the hand that holds the rod of God's power must be a cleansed hand swayed by a new heart. SSN
Leprosy represented sin and corruption which once infected, man is powerless to escape. This demonstrates God’s power to sovereignly deal with the sin issue.

8 “If they will not believe you,” God said, “or listen to the first sign, they may believe the latter sign.  9 If they will not believe even these two signs or listen to your voice, you shall take some water from the Nile and pour it on the dry ground, and the water that you shall take from the Nile will become blood on the dry ground.”

4. Shouldn’t the first two miracles serve to convince?
 ex44The third miracle, of the water turned into blood (v. 9), provided assurance that God would humiliate the Egyptians by spoiling what they regarded as a divine source of life. The Egyptians identified the Nile with the Egyptian god Osiris and credited it with all good and prosperity in their national life. Blood was and is a symbol of life poured out in death (cf. Lev. 17:11). Moses possessed the power to change the life-giving water of the Nile into blood. The Israelites would have concluded that he also had power to destroy the gods of Egypt and punish the land with death (cf. 7:14-24).
“Like Abel’s blood that cried out from the ground, so would the infants’ whose lives had been demanded by Pharaoh (1:22).
Each of these signs attested Yahweh’s creative power. Normally at least two witnesses were necessary to establish credibility under the Mosaic Law (Deut. 19:15; et al.). A third witness further strengthened the veracity of the testimony. Here God gave Moses three witnesses to confirm His prophet’s divine calling and enablement. God entrusted Moses with His powerful word and endowed him with His mighty power. He was the first prophet with the power to perform miracles.

10 But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.”

5. Isn’t this a pretty good excuse? Moses had a speech handicap.
 Moses’ claim to be slow of speech (not handicapped, but lacking in eloquence) was a thinly veiled excuse by which Moses hoped to escape his calling. Stephen said Moses was eloquent:ex45
Acts 7:22 (NASB) "Moses was educated in all the learning of the Egyptians, and he was a man of power in words and deeds.
Apparently Moses felt he did not have sufficient oratorical ability to persuade the Israelite elders or Pharaoh. God assured Moses that He would enable Him to communicate effectively. Again God reminded Moses that He was the creator.
Egyptian magicians acted as Pharaoh’s advisers and were known for being proud of their considerable powers of speech. When Moses protests that he is slow of speech and of tongue (v. 10), he is raising a relevant concern if he is going to address Pharaoh and his court. However, as the Lord signified in making Moses’ hand leprous and then restoring it, he has power to work in and through that which he has created, including Moses’ mouth ESVN

11 Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.” 13 But he said, “Oh, my Lord, please send someone else.”

6. What is Moses final excuse?
ex46Find somebody else because I don’t want to do it.
The misgivings of Moses were still so great that he wanted the mission to be taken care of by anyone else than himself. The weakness of his flesh was so overpowering that his words sound like a flat refusal. PCB
14 Then the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses and he said, “Is there not Aaron, your brother, the Levite? I know that he can speak well. Behold, he is coming out to meet you, and when he sees you, he will be glad in his heart.
15 You shall speak to him and put the words in his mouth, and I will be with your mouth and with his mouth and will teach you both what to do.
16 He shall speak for you to the people, and he shall be your mouth, and you shall be as God to him. 17 And take in your hand this staff, with which you shall do the signs.” 18 Moses went back to Jethro his father-in-law and said to him, “Please let me go back to my brothers in Egypt to see whether they are still alive.” And Jethro said to Moses, “Go in peace.” 19 And the LORD said to Moses in Midian, “Go back to Egypt, for all the men who were seeking your life are dead.”  20 So Moses took his wife and his sons and had them ride on a donkey, and went back to the land of Egypt. And Moses took the staff of God in his hand.21 And the LORD said to Moses, “When you go back to Egypt, see that you do before Pharaoh all the miracles that I have put in your power. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go. 22 Then you shall say to Pharaoh, ‘Thus says the LORD, Israel is my firstborn son, 23 and I say to you, “Let my son go that he may serve me.” If you refuse to let him go, behold, I will kill your firstborn son.’”24 At a lodging place on the way the LORD met him and sought to put him to death.25 Then Zipporah took a flint and cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it and said, “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me!” 26 So he let him alone. It was then that she said, “A bridegroom of blood,” because of the circumcision. 27 The LORD said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he went and met him at the mountain of God and kissed him. 28 And Moses told Aaron all the words of the LORD with which he had sent him to speak, and all the signs that he had commanded him to do. 29 Then Moses and Aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the people of Israel. 30 Aaron spoke all the words that the LORD had spoken to Moses and did the signs in the sight of the people. 31 And the people believed; and when they heard that the LORD had visited the people of Israel and that he had seen their affliction, they bowed their heads and worshiped.

  7.  So the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and God’s solution is Moses and Aaron team, what does this tell us about God?
           God works around human frailty, stubbornness, and failure. Look at Peter, this guy was a mess. He had a speech problem too.  Always shooting off his mouth when he shouldn’t. ex47He couldn’t shut up. Most of the time he never quite got it, but God was able to use him bring thousands to Christ. So maybe there’s hope for me.

8. And the LORD said to Moses, "When you go back to Egypt, see that you do all those wonders before Pharaoh which I have put in your hand. But I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.  Is this fair?
Ten times in the book of Exodus it says God hardened the Pharaoh’s heart and ten times in other verses it says the Pharaoh hardened his own heart.  This poses a theological conundrum. How can both be true? MSBN
  God said that out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. Mt 15:19
 Jeremiah 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked.
 We’re going to see that seven times Pharaoh hardened his own heart before it’s mentioned three times that God hardened his heart. Pharaoh had a chance to believe through the first few plagues that God was real, but instead he hardened his own heart.

9. So Pharaoh had to at least acknowledge the LORD. Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Pray to the LORD to take the frogs away from me and my people, and I will let your people go to offer sacrifices to the LORD.” (Ex 8:7-8)  So Pharaoh does believe in God?
 ex48And the gnats were on men and animals.  The magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”
Every plague from here on in only hit the EGYPTIANS, and miraculously didn’t bother the Israelites
Pharaoh sent men to investigate and found that not even one of the animals of the Israelites had died. (Ex 9:6-7) Every kind of Egyptian animal died - it was a widespread and nearly complete annihilation of their flocks.
This wonderful revelation from God of Pharaoh’s heart shows us how a hard heart works. It only acknowledges God when it absolutely has to - and when it does - it only does so to get a favor out of him
Pharaoh had every chance to repent and come to his senses. But he just wouldn’t have it. When you look at the progression here - you’ll notice that’s what happened to Pharaoh. God was giving him chances to believe. But once Pharaoh crossed the point of no return in his own mind, God turned him over to his own depravity and hardened his heart.  Romans 1
 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked?  declares the Sovereign LORD. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live? (Eze 18:23)
 Peter wrote, The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 2 Pe 3:9
 Romans 9:13-24 (New Living Translation)
ex4913 In the words of the Scriptures, “I loved Jacob, but I rejected Esau.”[a]14 Are we saying, then, that God was unfair? Of course not! 15 For God said to Moses, “I will show mercy to anyone I choose,and I will show compassion to anyone I choose.”[b]16 So it is God who decides to show mercy. We can neither choose it nor work for it.17 For the Scriptures say that God told Pharaoh, “I have appointed you for the very purpose of displaying my power in you and to spread my fame throughout the earth.”[c] 18 So you see, God chooses to show mercy to some, and he chooses to harden the hearts of others so they refuse to listen.19 Well then, you might say, “Why does God blame people for not responding? Haven’t they simply done what he makes them do?”20 No, don’t say that. Who are you, a mere human being, to argue with God? Should the thing that was created say to the one who created it, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn’t he have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? 22 In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction. 23 He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. 24 And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.
 If I have a weakness for drinking Vodka and God created me then it’s his fault when I find myself laying in the gutter Sunday morning after drinking all night?
 When the Scriptures say that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart, it means that God forced Pharaoh to make the decision that was in his heart. God forced him to do the thing he wanted to do. There never will be a person in hell who did not choose to be there, my friend. You are the one who makes your own decision. JVM

The pit bullex410
10.  Then you shall say to Pharaoh, 'Thus says the LORD: "Israel is My son, My firstborn.23 So I say to you, let My son go that he may serve Me. But if you refuse to let him go, indeed I will kill your son, your firstborn."
What is significant about the term “firstborn”” Was this supposed to impress the Pharaoh?
 The firstborn in Hebrew as well as Egyptian culture was the position of preeminence with regard to birth order. The first born got 2/3 of the inheritance and the rest was split amongst the other kids. In the Egyptian religion the Pharaoh was thought to be the firstborn of the Sun god. Ra. And his son the firstborn would become the new Pharaoh after he died.
God is letting the Pharaoh know how he feels about the entire Hebrew nation, calling it His first born.
 11. Verse 24.   And it came to pass on the way, at the encampment, that the LORD met him and sought to kill him. What! After all this and now God wants to kill Moses?
  In Genesis 17:10-12 God says to Abraham:
ex411"This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner-- those who are not your offspring.”
  In Genesis 17 we’re told that Circumcision was sign of the Old Covenant.
Those who were not circumcised under that covenant were to be cut off from fellowship.
 Abraham believed God and it was accounted to him for righteousness. After which he was circumcised as a sign of identification. It identified him and his son Isaac and grandson Jacob and his 12 sons as the followers of Yahweh. Obviously the Midianites were not practitioners of  circumcision and Moses’ wife Zipporah was resistant to it. Now Moses was put into a position where he was to go to the elders of the approximately 2 million Hebrew people and say follow me and to the strongest ruler in the world and say submit to my requests, yet he can’t even lead his own family. Apparently in order to keep down stress in his own house he had not pushed the circumcision thing. I think the lesson here is that if your are going to take on a position of leadership in the church, you better have your house in order. In the New Testament, God is very specific when it comes to deacons, elders and bishops with regard to their families.
Zipporah has become an obstacle to Moses’ ministry. ex412
She’s found herself in opposition to God.
It’s natural, in a healthy marriage, for a husband to listen to his wife.
Ephesians 5 tells us that a husband should be the head of his house, but this leadership in the home includes treating his wife with respect. And listening to her opinions is a vital part of showing her proper respect.
A Godly man wants his wife’s input, her insights, her agreement on what is to be decided.
However, there are times when a husband is trying to follow God’s will that he finds his wife doesn’t like the direction he’s going.
ILLUS: The Old Testament story of Rebekah is an excellent example of this. Isaac wanted to bless Esau, but that didn’t appeal to Rebekah. So she conspired with Jacob to deceive Isaac and steal the blessing.
While that ultimately fulfilled God’s plan for Jacob - HER plan of action got her son a one way ticket out of town. Esau sought to kill Jacob. And Rebekah never saw her son again. And her deception created problems for her son that lasted for years.
Proverbs tells us "There is a way that seems right unto a man, but the end thereof is death" (Proverbs 14:12).
That’s true both of husbands AND wives.
That’s why Elder’s wives are advised (in I Timothy 3:11) "In the same (Elders’) wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything."
 We have to obey God 100%, no compromise.
  Let us see the example of King Saul.
He is first king of Israel.
God told Saul to attack the Amalekites and destroy everything that belongs to them.
However, Saul and his army spared the Amalekite king and some cattle.
Now, Samuel asked King Saul why did you disobey God?
ex414I Samuel 25:19-23 19 Samuel said, “Why did you not obey the LORD Why did you pounce on the plunder and do evil in the eyes of the LORD " 20 "But I did obey the LORD," Saul said. "I went on the mission the LORD assigned me. I completely destroyed the Amalekites and brought back Agag their king. 21 The soldiers took sheep and cattle from the plunder, the best of what was devoted to God, in order to sacrifice them to the LORD your God at Gilgal." 22 But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has rejected you as king."
Gone, that day Saul’s ministry was over. God rejected him as king. Saul did spare the cattle for a good cause, but it was disobedience in the presence of God and he had to face the music.
 Joshua 24 15 ………………, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve,...    But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."
 Judas…… John 13 2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him,
 John 17 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.
 Romans 1:19-28  because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 21 although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves,25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator,…………….28 as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind,

  • ESVN………….ESV Study Bible Notes
  • MSBN…….MacArthur NASB Study Notes
  • NIVSN…..NIV Study Notes.
  • JVM ….J Vernon McGee,
  • ACC …. Adam Clarke’s Commentary
  • BN …..Barnes Notes
  • WBC…… Wycliffe Bible Commentary
  • CN …… Constables Notes
  • IC……….Ironside Commentary
  • NET………Net Bible Study Notes.
  • JFB…………..Jamieson Fausset Brown Commentary
  • VWS……………..Vincent Word Studies
  • CMM………….Commentary on Matthew and Mark
  • BDB………….. Barclay's Daily Study Bible (NT)
  • Darby………..John Darby’s Synopsis of the OT and NT
  • Johnson………Johnson's Notes on the New Testament.
  • NTCMM…………..The New Testament Commentary: Matthew and Mark.
  • BKC…...................Bible Knowledge Commentary
  • PCB…………………… Popular Commentary of the Bible,
  • SSN…………………..Scofield’s Study Notes
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